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Thursday, March 24, 2011

Saber perder by David Trueba

...."El deseo trabaja como el viento..."desire works like wind....As soon as I read the first sentence of Saber perder, (knowing how to lose),a novel written by Spanish director and writer David Trueba,I was hooked.

Saber perder tells the story of four characters : Sylvia, a teenager who'sdiscovering the adult world, her father Lorenzo who's lost his job andhis wife, Ariel a young football player and Leandro, Sylvia's grandfather,a piano teacher who spends all his money on a prostitute whilehis wife is dying of cancer.

Trueba wrote this novel after reading this news in the paperof an old man spending his pension money on a prostitutewhile his wife is dying in hospital.He confesses to have a fascination for ordinary peoplewho in the end are not that ordinary and hide a part of mystery.

I greatly enjoyed this book which is all about life,and how to deal humbly with our losses and failuresand the frailty of our illusions.It is also a great lesson of empathy.

I really recommend it to you !Just a note to my dear English and American friends,I don't know if Saber perder has been translated into English yetbut it should.

I trust your recommendations. Next time you stop by would you be so kind as to tell me the title of the book you had on your sidebar that you said you wished you could experience reading again for the first time? I would love to read it on vacation this year.Thanks, Lala. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.Catherine xx